It is part of an effort by India under a dedicated fund to preserve heritage sites and places of cultural importance.

Indian companies have come forward to adopt the world heritage sites and places of cultural significance as part of an initiative by the Indian government to preserve such places under the public private partnership (PPP) model.

These places include the Lodhi garden monuments in New Delhi, Sun temple in Konark, Khajuraho temples, Mahabalipuram temples and Tughlaqabad Fort in New Delhi, among others.

The government's National Culture Fund (NCF), a trust formed under the union ministry of culture, is driving the initiative to preserve and protect monuments, including the world heritage sites, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Khajuraho temples are a major tourist attraction for foreign tourists visiting India. Picture: A tourist takes pictures of erotic Hindu sculptures in the Indian town of Khajuraho in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Nov. 18,2003.Reuters file

Most of these places are major attractions for foreign tourists, who are wooed by India through its "Incredible India" campaign to visit the country.

Earnings from foreign tourists constitute a significant part of overall tourism business in India.

Between January and December 2015, 80.16 lakh tourists visited the country, an increase of 10.2% over 76.79 lakh tourists over 2014.

India has been wooing foreign tourists in a big way by initiating various tourist-friendly measures. The Indian government recently extended e-tourist visa facility recently to 37 more countries, taking the number of such countries to 150.

The e-tourist visa facility was launched in November 2014 to simplifying the cumbersome procedures for international travellers who visit India for sightseeing, medical treatment, short business trips or to meet friends and relatives.